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Innovation is the lifeblood of any successful company today. For
many companies, however, the pursuit of innovative ideas is
missing a key element (something typically not associated
with business professionals): creativity.

Nurturing your creative self is the only way to truly unlock your
strategic mind and bring your business skills to bear in new,
meaningful ways that can benefit your entire organization. Here
are 10 tips to help you unlock your creativity at work:

1. Get visual. Regardless of your role,
industry or responsibilities, visualizing data and ideas is an
incredibly powerful tool to get your team thinking. Get off the
phone, go in a room together (a virtual room will work, too) and
use a whiteboard until your hand hurts.

2. Throw out the rule book. The next time
you get your team together to brainstorm,
create and enforce a “no holds barred” idea session. Nothing is
off the table; nothing is outside the realm of possibility. Avoid
words and phrases like “but,” “how would we” and “we can’t.” If
necessary, designate someone to police those phrases and keep
everyone honest.

3. Work
backward. Figure the goal or ideal scenario 10 to
15 years down the road. Start there and work your way backward.
Don’t worry about the “how.” Focus on the “what.” Your road map
will literally unfold itself.

4. Make a game of
it. At the start of your next meeting try a game
to get the creative juices flowing. Have everyone write a
random idea down, crumple it up and toss it onto the center of
the table. Pick one idea at random and build it out. Or switch
roles. Ask those assembled, “If you were me, how would you tackle
this problem?”

5. Write down absolutely
everything. No thought is too small, and no idea is
too “out there.” Anything can potentially have value to your
business. You never know what word or phrase is going to spark
the next word or phrase, which could then lead to your
next big idea. Get it all down on paper. Find somewhere prominent
to keep ideas displayed, such as an idea board or whiteboard.

6. Take mental
breaks. A lot of business leaders view social media
and other distraction sites as time-wasters, instead of
recognizing them for what they really are: mental breaks. It’s
practically impossible to nurture creativity in a tired,
burned-out brain. Encouraging mental breaks is the key to
developing employees’ creative side and boosting morale.

7. Take a trip to happy
hour. We tend to spend our workdays chained to our
coffee mugs. But did you
know that a little bit of alcohol can help with brainstorming
too? A single beer can relax your brain, making you less
focused on the negatives, and less likely to squash your good
ideas. The next time you need a good brainstorm, find the nearest
happy hour and get to work.

8. Get physical. Engaging
in a physical activity can help unlock your creative mind,
particularly if your job is primarily sedentary. Go outside for a
run, walk, bike ride or whatever activity suits you. (I’m a
motocross guy, myself.) This will relax your mind, and afterward
you can attack a problem or idea with a fresh brain. Inspiration
might even strike mid-stride.

9. Play to your
strengths. It’s a common misconception that
creativity exists only in people with specifically “creative”
roles and skills and that the more analytical among us are too
dull and logical. In fact, any skill can be used creatively. Are
you an Excel wizard? Throw your ideas into a spreadsheet to
categorize and dissect them and watch the brainstorm develop.

10. Get the words
out. The hardest part of any brainstorming session,
alone or in a group, is getting the ball rolling. The easiest
solution? Just talk. Or write. Start getting words out or down on
paper, even if they’re borderline nonsensical at first. It’s all
about getting over that initial hurdle, so the ideas can start
flowing.